BOYS BASKETBALL: Bartee ties area wins record

RIVERSIDE - There was no on-court ceremony, no plaque, no nostalgic speeches, nothing at all to commemorate Mike Bartee tying the Inland Empire all-time wins record in boys basketball on Tuesday evening.

Basically, it was just the way the Riverside North coach wanted it.

Deshon Taylor scored 20 points to lead four players in double figures and the Huskies (18-2, 7-0 Inland Valley League) routed Moreno Valley Vista del Lago 70-40 to give Bartee his 627th career victory, tying him with former Moreno Valley coach John Dahl for the most in area history.

âI really have no feelings about it,â Bartee said. âIt's about the kids, it's not about records. I haven't scored a basket in 30 years. The attention needs to be on them.â

Whether or not he wanted the attention, Bartee's pursuit of the record brought many of his ex-players and coaches to watch the game.

âIt's been amazing the type of things he's done over his career,â said Cal State Fullerton men's basketball associate head coach John Smith, who both played for and coached under Bartee. âYou really can't say anything bad about him....We learned from the best.â

Dr. Chuck Beaty, the former North principal who hired Bartee as the Huskies coach in 1982, pushed through a torn Achilles to come to the game.

âOf the things l've done over the years I've done in education, probably the smartest thing I ever did was hire Mike Bartee here,â Beaty said.

Bartee can break the record with a win Thursday at Moreno Valley Canyon Springs.

âI've been looking up that kind of stuff so I like getting him more wins and trying to break records,â Taylor said. âIt felt good getting him to 600 wins last year and this feels good again.â

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